Local Goa News

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Mala-Patto bridge to be ready by October

Panaji: If things go according to Goa state infrastructure development corporation's plan, the new bridge being constructed across Rua de Ourem connecting Mala to the Patto complex could well be thrown open to public by early October. GSIDC officials expressed confidence that the first phase of the bridge, which includes a two-lane carriageway and a dedicated service utility lane would be ready just six months after the foundation stone was placed on April 8.
"Work is progressing well and in fact we are ahead of schedule," said GSIDC vice chairperson and Panaji MLA Sidharth Kuncalienkar while speaking to TOI.
GSIDC officials said that out of the 30 piles required for the foundation of the bridge, six piles had already been put in place.
The task to construct the Mala to the Patto complex four-lane bridge was given to Larsen and Toubro limited at the cost of 24.24 crore. Envisioned as an additional entry and exit route into the capital, the timeline for the 103m bridge was pegged at 18 months, GSIDC officials said.
Given that an existing water pipeline already transverses the creek, GSIDC and L&T have decided to take up the project in two phases.
"We want to open the bridge for public traffic by October. Once the first phase is ready, we will then begin to demolish the steel bridge for the existing water pipeline and shift the pipeline on to the service lane of the new bridge," manager engineering Sandip Chodnekar said.
The Panaji MLA said that once the entire project was completed, around 30-35% of the traffic could be diverted to the new bridge, easing the pressure on the other entry points.
The bridge has been designed as a three span continuous bridge with two spans of 30m on each side and one central span of 43m.
The design of the bridge will include an arch in between and will have a special corridor in the middle for services such as water pipeline, sewage line, high tension electrical lines, telecom and streetlighting.
The tender for the project was floated on January 25.